


The Hot Brother

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 14:53:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12435138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Everyone loves Evergray, and Louisa cannot, for the life of her, figure out why. Spoilers for the latest story quests.





	The Hot Brother

Avalon didn't usually sleep, as ascended druids no longer required such human things as sleep and food and basic hygiene and the human comforts of companionship. But honestly, with Evergray hanging around, sometimes Avalon needed to black out for a few hours. His brother was enough to drive a man to drink, but Avalon wanted to set a good example so he didn't. Also, it was against druid law to become intoxicated.

But when Avalon woke up to silence instead of destruction and disaster, he still panicked. It was quiet. Too quiet.

"What are you doing, what have you done, what mess do I have to clean up this time?" asked Avalon as he quickly walked out of his bedroom and into the rest of the house. Complete and utter silence greeted him, and at first he thought he was alone. But then he saw movement, which drew his attention over to one of his windows. There were two young women standing there, Lisa and Louisa.

"Hey, Avalon, you might wanna take a look at this," said Lisa.

"Oh, Aideen's love, what has he done now?" Avalon muttered, almost not wanting to see what awaited him outside the window. But he looked, and had to sigh at what he saw. He would have pinched the bridge of his nose if he could be bothered forming one. 

Evergray was standing outside, but he wasn't doing anything particularly bad or suspicious for once. He was just standing in the front garden while people fawned over him.

"Looks like Evergray's got himself some fangirls," said Lisa.

"Why?" said Louisa, looking confused and appalled all at once. "He's not even that hot."

"Straight people," said Lisa.

"Actually, there are some men out there too," said Avalon, pointing. Louisa sighed, rolling her eyes and stepping away from the window. 

"What do they see in him?" asked Louisa.

"I know," said Avalon. "I'm as confused as you are. He's sick, and insane, but he was always the hot one."

"You have some fun stories to tell, I'm assuming?" asked Louisa. Lisa still stood staring out the window, unable to look away from the strangeness that was happening.

"Oh, so many," said Avalon. "See, back when Evergray was in the Keepers and not exiled, he was a sort of teacher or mentor. He used to help out the young Soul Riders and druids with learning important information and important skills like Pandorian tracking."

"Like the Pandorian Compass?" asked Louisa, remembering the disc with its pink crystal needle. It had emanated some strange kind of power, one she'd only felt in Pandoria before.

"Yes," said Avalon. "He spent most of his youth, or what you would call his early centuries, working on that concept. I was surprised when he brought it with him. And concerned. That compass was in a suitcase, for Aideen's sake! But it worked, which was even more surprising yet. Now, don't you dare tell him this, but I'm actually quite proud of him for managing to even get it working. And to keep it safe up in Northern Jorvik, with all those witches and nastiness..."

"Can I ask what happened in Northern Jorvik?" asked Louisa. "Or is that a secret?"

"It's not a secret but it is a long story," said Avalon. "You'll find out all about it one day, don't you worry."

"Okay, if you say so," said Louisa, a little disappointed to be missing out on some interesting information. But she heard a bit of a commotion outside, and wandered back over to the window to peer out with her girlfriend.

"By Aideen, move!" Alex was shouting as she barged through the crowd of Evergray's admirers. She'd looked a lot angrier ever since Katja had told them that Concorde was gone, especially since nobody believed her 'crazy' theory that he was still alive and that Katja had twisted the truth. Louisa believed her, though. They'd had quite a few bonding sessions since everything that had happened since Evergray had arrived. And the jealousy over their girlfriends possibly having a past was only part of it.

"Jeez, not even an angry Alex can part them, they must really like him," said Lisa. "I've seen crowds like this at my shows, but only the really big ones."

"I seriously have no idea what they see in him," said Louisa as the door opened.

"Yeah, me neither," said Alex, holding the door open so Linda and Elizabeth could follow her inside. Louisa turned to Linda.

"Linda, you're our resident pansexual, what is the attraction with Evergray?" asked Louisa. Linda shrugged.

"Beats me," said Linda. "I don't see it either. Isn't that one of your friends out there?" Louisa looked, and didn't know whether to sigh or laugh when she caught sight of Savvy worshipping Evergray's feet.

"Oh my god," said Louisa. "It's like everyone has lost their minds. Darko at least has the dark, brooding thing going for him, but Evergray just looks weird!"

"And he's sick," Avalon added. "How can anyone love someone with such advanced Pandorian sickness? Not to mention he's insane."

"You've mentioned that a few times," said Louisa.

"What, so someone with Pandorian sickness can't be lovable? They can't be beautiful? They should be forever shunned? And the same goes for people who've lost their grip on sanity? Wow, thanks, I'll be sure to tell Anne that when we rescue her," said Alex, grabbing a thick coat off the coat rack quite roughly and sending it toppling to the floor. But she was already marching off in search of warm boots and a warm hat and gloves, and possibly some thermal underwear. Avalon sighed.

"Oh dear, I've said the wrong thing, haven't I?" said Avalon. "I'm sorry, having my brother here is just... messing with my good judgement."

"Good luck convincing Alex of that," said Elizabeth. "She's incredibly touchy about this, especially after Evergray told her what the sickness did to him so she's prepared for how Anne will be when we get her back."

"You see? It is all my brother's fault," said Avalon. "He might have had good intentions, but he went about it all wrong. As usual."

"Now is not the time to be quarreling with your brother," said Elizabeth. "A good druid would be able to put petty human squabbles aside for just one moment for the greater good. And that's what you need to do."

"Oh, so you've taken his side, have you?" asked Avalon. "I should've expected that you'd fall for his charms just like everyone out there." He gestured outside the window with his hand.

"That's not why I said that, and it's not what I meant," said Elizabeth, her voice calm yet stern. "I know that you're centuries old, but honestly, grow up." She left the room, and Avalon called after her.

"Where are you going?" Avalon called. Elizabeth poked her head back around the corner.

"I'm going to calm down our little livewire," said Elizabeth. "Judging by what she just grabbed, she's going to pay Conrad a visit to see how the new keystone is coming along, and I want to make sure that she's got everything. In her state, she'd likely forget a warmer saddle pad for Tin Can."

"Good idea," said Louisa. "I'd go after her, only..."

"You've been through a lot," said Lisa, wrapping an arm around her. "I know." Louisa blushed, turning to bury her head in Lisa's shoulder. Her girlfriend had found her in the middle of Greendale, shaking and crying and thinking that she was about to start hallucinating again, so Lisa had taken her back here to Avalon's house for calming tea and chocolate cake. That had helped a lot, but what helped more were the obvious runes glowing on the windows and walls. Every inch of Avalon's house was warded to protect against the Dark Riders, he'd walked her through it in an attempt to calm her down. And it had worked.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth was having a harder time calming down Alex.

"Alex, Avalon didn't mean to imply that Anne is unlovable now," said Elizabeth. Alex sniffed, tying on one of the snow boots and then removing it so she could change into thicker trousers that would protect against the cold and stay dry once the snow melted. It was a special Kallter design, one that the druids had traded for by trading Kallstone and Icenthistle with the Kallters, as well as special druid remedies to keep their horses safe and healthy in the cold climate. Honestly, it was so convoluted that it would have been easier to just pay with Star Coins like everyone else, but the druids had decided against it. Something about maintaining a good relationship with the Kallters via a bartering system.

"He doesn't know what it's like," said Alex, stepping into the trousers and then putting thick socks and snow boots back on. "But then again, his own brother is sick and dying, and he doesn't care". She tied the laces of her shoes quite viciously, and Elizabeth worried that Alex would get rope burn on her hands. At least the cold of Dino Valley and the Stonecutter's Vault would numb that pain. But nothing could numb the pain in her heart.

"Avalon and Evergray have... a rather strained relationship," said Elizabeth, choosing her words carefully.

"So?" said Alex. "My brothers and I don't always get along, but I'd still care if they were sick or dying."

"I know you would," said Elizabeth. "And deep down, Avalon does care. But... you see, Evergray was also lost in Pandoria once."

"What, did the Generals put him there too?" asked Alex. "What for, being too woke?" Avalon would have been confused at that term, but Elizabeth's job put her in contact with a lot of the younger members of the Keepers, so she was up to date with the lingo.

"Possibly, that's why the Keepers exiled him," said Elizabeth. "But my point is that when Evergray was lost, Avalon gave him up for dead". Alex opened her mouth to say something, possibly to argue, but Elizabeth held a finger up to halt her. "Not because he had no hope, but because at that time, it was believed that only the Soul Rider of the Sun could travel safely between Pandoria and our world."

"And let me guess, the Sun was dead?" asked Alex.

"I'm afraid so," said Elizabeth. "Everyone thought that Evergray was dead. Avalon mourned him, and moved on."

"And when he came back?" asked Alex.

"Well, Avalon was surprised, but he could never be as close to his brother as he had been. Not that they'd ever been especially close, they fought all the time. I think part of it might have been jealousy, because the girls all ignored Avalon in favour of his brother. And Avalon had no idea why anyone would prefer a rebel over someone who stuck to the rules so strictly. But when the Anne of the next incarnation returned with Evergray in tow, even she had moony eyes for him."

"Ugh," said Alex with a shudder.

"Believe it," said Elizabeth with a laugh. "When she first joined the Keepers, that Anne heard sad tales about a lost druid named Evergray. As soon as she could travel to Pandoria, she went there, and returned with Evergray. He had many stories to tell, but he had to tell them with a young woman hanging off his arm."

"Please tell me they didn't," said Alex.

"Oh, don't worry, Evergray was too busy with his ideas to worry about romance," said Elizabeth. "Another reason why Avalon hated him. All these girls throwing themselves at Evergray, and Evergray couldn't care less, while Avalon had all of his romantic advances rejected. Not that you should care what the past incarnations of Anne did, that has no impact on her current soul."

"Good," said Alex. "I guess I'm just jealous, and worried about history repeating. It tends to do that." Elizabeth looked at her with concerned eyes, and put a hand on Alex's hand.

"It'll be okay," said Elizabeth. "You'll see. You'll get Anne back, and then you can probably help Evergray find a cure."

"At least he told me how to live with it," said Alex. She sighed shakily. "But maybe two years won't be as bad as twenty. Maybe she'll just get over it with time." Elizabeth smiled sadly at her.

"I hope so," said Elizabeth. "For all our sakes."

"Yeah," said Alex. She stood up, having sat down on the spare bed to put her shoes and socks on. "Anyway, I'm going to see how Conrad's doing. Maybe I can help him out."

"Try not to worry too much," said Elizabeth. "Conrad is an excellent blacksmith, if anyone can forge a new keystone, it's him."

"That's what I'm counting on," said Alex. She left the room, and Elizabeth watched from the window as Alex barged her way through the crowd again and soon rode Tin Can up the slope and into the Valley of the Hidden Dinosaur. She'd be okay. At least, if nothing else, the cold bite of Dino Valley would cool Alex's tempter.


End file.
